[Bug]: get_or_create should not update metadata if it exists

[jeffchuber]

What happened?

This is unintuitive behaivor

Versions

All

Relevant log output

No response

[HammadB]

To clarify - we aren't sure how to solve this problem - its just a bit confusing that get_or_create can silently update the metadata

[Satyam-79]

The issue is in the logic

chroma/chromadb/db/duckdb.py

Lines 83 to 87 in 7b9d745

	if len(dupe_check) > 0:
	if get_or_create is True:
	if dupe_check[0][2] != metadata:
	self.update_collection(name, new_name=name, new_metadata=metadata)
	dupe_check = self.get_collection(name)

The get_or_create_collection() function's logic is ambiguous because it updates the metadata of a collection if there is a change in the metadata. The function should be reviewed to ensure it only performs the intended behavior of creating or retrieving collection .

[jeffchuber]

FWIW - it appears we have maintained this logic in the refactor

chroma/chromadb/api/segment.py

Line 112 in 4332adf

self._modify(id=existing[0]["id"], new_metadata=metadata)

[jeffchuber]

we want to update the docstrings to at least be more clear about this behavior